How It Works

The “stuff” I’m working on

As a Certified Rolfer in Austin, Texas, the stuff I’m working with in your body is called connective tissue. You’ve seen connective tissue before, it’s that milky white stuff that wraps around a chicken breast. There are many different types of connective tissue but the ones I’m working with are the ones that make up your ligaments, tendons, wrap around all of your muscles, your nerves, and even help hold your organs in place. Connective tissue is all over your body and it’s all connected to each other in some form or fashion to make a big network.

Postural improvementRolfing addresses poor posture and the chronic discomfort that shows up by bringing balance to the body’s muscular and connective tissue systems. Shortness or tension anywhere in the body’s connective tissue elicits a response everywhere. The body reacts similar to how this spider web would to the right, if you were to pull or twist one side of it the rest of the web/system would react and put tension throughout the system. Rolfing looks to unwind those unnatural tensional patterns that get brought into our bodies through injuries, sitting at computers, poor posture, general living, etc. Structural integration is the goal of Rolfing.

Joint Alignment
With a series of sessions, Rolfing progresses through the entire body to ensure there is the proper adaptability and support needed for correct joint alignment and function. Chronic postural imbalances cause undue wear and tear on our joints as the forces running through them are no longer neutral and balanced. It is of no surprise that, over time, the misalignment of a foot, or repeated ankle sprains are going to show up as knee pain and exposure to injury.

Nerve Inflammation
It is astonishing to see just how much of people’s pain and discomfort stems directly from adhered, compressed, or inflamed nerves. It is very common to find some kind of nerve trouble surrounding just about every complaint out there. When nerves become irritated they swell and harden causing tenderness to the touch, limitation to stretching, chronic protective muscle tension, mis-firing and poor coordination. Working with and calming these pockets of inflamed tissue offers the body new possibilities for posture and movement as well as a direct relief from chronic and acute pain.

Muscular Strength, Coordination, and Movement
As a result of postural improvement, joint alignment, calming inflammation, and reducing pain the body gets to recover from injury and is freed from its preoccupying limitations. This renewal of vitality provides for a whole new sense of well being. Our muscles are relieved of compensating for poor alignment, and they become more coordinated with each other, stronger and more efficient. Yoga practices deepen, athletic activities improve, stretching advances, and sitting at the desk no longer hurts all day. And the best part is…these new movement patterns help to reinforce the body’s structural changes so the work lasts longer!